Comedy Show — Will It Be Loud? Are Earplugs Enough Protection?

[hurtingdream]

I have tickets to go to a comedy show this weekend. Will it be loud? I will be wearing my earplugs.

 

[Flamingo1]

I have tickets to go to a comedy show this weekend. Will it be loud? I will be wearing my earplugs.

Take a decibel reader and the sound level goes over 80 dB, leave. I doubt that it will.

 

[Striveon]

Very good idea ^ leave if you must, I hope the comedy show isn't over 80 dB, but if it is, try to go further back of the arena/ room (lol idk what you call it), until it's at a good level. I hope you have a great time, hopefully it isn't loud as you deserve distractions! If it is loud, please leave. Your ears come first alright

 

[Greg Clarke]

Go, doubt you'll need plugs but take a pair.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I have tickets to go to a comedy show this weekend. Will it be loud? I will be wearing my earplugs.

If you go, and it turns out to be the wrong decision, you might have a lifetime to think about your choices and priorities.

To help you make that choice, check out the posts that I had quoted below
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/learn-from-others-mistakes.29437/

Having said that, many people go to those concerts and shows, wear earplugs, and end up being ok. Is the upside valuable enough to compensate for the possible downside of a lifetime of regret?

Also, check out the two posts below

Relative newbies to tinnitus are likely to find all the information/opinions above quite confusing. So here are a few common-sense rules to follow:

1. The best protection of all is avoidance. Even the best earplugs can't guarantee complete hearing protection so those relatively new to tinnitus are best advised to avoid prolonged loud noise exposure - especially amplified sound at for example live concerts and sports events. This may involve lifestyle changes.

2. When in doubt, use hearing protection. In the many tasks we all do through the week, some will inevitably involve exposure to noise - which may be at higher levels than we at first realise - so using hearing protection for many of these is only sensible.

3. Build quiet into your day. It's not a good idea to be wearing hearing protection all the time - so you need to give your ears a break by ensuring that there will be quieter times during your day when hearing protection isn't necessary.This may involve changing your routine. Use soft masking noise and light music (not using headphones) to avoid "silence" where tinnitus is most noticeable.

4. Don't stress about stress. Tinnitus newbies are forever being told that the thing which makes tinnitus worse is stress. But while it's true that how you are feeling at a particular moment can make tinnitus temporarily louder, it won't have a lasting effect. But prolonged loud noise exposure can make tinnitus permanently louder. So don't stress about stress - but do be concerned about noise.

I didn't read all the above comments, but did peruse a fair amount of it, and ran across many good points on both sides of the argument. What strikes me is there seems to be an underlying assumption (of course I may be wrong on this) that all brains and neurological systems are created equal. The way I see it, that's simply not the case, so everybody's way of dealing with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis is going to have to be highly individualized.

I read a book many years ago called "Adrenal Syndrome". A lot of the book touched on the residual resiliency of people's adrenal glands as they respond to life's stresses. Very low resiliency often resulted in months/years of chronic debilitating exhaustion following a stressful event(s) in their lives. Very high resiliency indicated essentially the opposite. The author broke this down into some rough numbers:

25% of people have low resiliency, meaning normal life stressors will often send them into some degree of a tailspin.
25% of people have high resiliency, meaning that no matter how severe a stressor comes into their lives, they will be able to cope without becoming debilitated to any degree.
50% of people fall somewhere inbetween.

I believe there are some kind of corresponding numbers for a person's brain and neurological resiliency as well, which can greatly affect the ability to cope with tinnitus. (I believe adrenal resiliency also plays a major role in our ability to cope). -- Based on these assumptions, it's pretty easy for me to conclude that what may be overprotection for one person will be underprotection for another, and vice versa.

I think the main point to understand for someone new to tinnitus is that their path forward is going to be a lot of "testing the waters". Generally, IMHO, it's going to take a few weeks or months to get important insights that will help us achieve a healthy balance. In all likelihood, most people are going to learn from experience when their over-protecting or under-protecting.

I've come to believe however, that in those early months, if one is going to err in either direction, it should be toward overprotection. It just seems to me the consequences of underprotection (which could result in permanent injury) in those early times are much more dire than the consequences of overprotection--which as I understand, generally results in temporary setbacks.

Doing a number of things to better support the brain and neurological system and the body's stress response (adrenal glands) is quite high on my list of recommendations I would make to anybody with tinnitus. Doing so might even prevent phonophobia or OCD, etc., as we go through our learning curves -- Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Julien87]

Go, doubt you'll need plugs but take a pair.

This. I would also take a pair just in case.

 

[Bill Bauer]

This. I would also take a pair just in case.

How come? What's the Worst that might happen?!

 

[Ecip]

Take a decibel reader and the sound level goes over 80 dB, leave. I doubt that it will.

It will. But with earplugs it's ok.

 

[linearb]

I went to one in DC with earplugs. It might have been 85-90db at points but very rarely. It was fine. It was quieter than a concert by some significant margin, and those have been fine, too.

you can always bail if it's more uncomfortable than fun

80 is, uh, a pretty conservative point to cut off at, if you don't have H you should be fine at higher volumes, with protection.

 

[Arseny]

How come? What's the Worst that might happen?!

On several occasions I lost one of the earplugs and had temporary spikes, because I had zero protection in that ear.

 

[Bill Bauer]

On several occasions I lost one of the earplugs and had temporary spikes, because I had zero protection in that ear.

I was being sarcastic. The Worst that might happen will last a lifetime.

 

[Ross McLauchlan]

Be careful when listening to Bill's scare tactics. Ear plugs and you'll be fine. If it's too loud, bail. Ultimately, your call.

Asking for advice on how to handle social situations can lead to more anxiety or missing out on life. Ironically, the advice tends to come from those who don't value socialising (probably even before they had tinnitus).

I've stopped listening to other people and simply listen to my body - if it's too much, leave.

Personal experience has taught me that I can still be in many loud places with earplugs. Hope you're fine too.

Take care,

Ross.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Ear plugs and you'll be fine.

Will she?
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/learn-from-others-mistakes.29437/

Here is a more recent testimony (got posted yesterday)

My personal experience would say it's too risky. At least, not worth the risk. But I don't know how you or your ears handle things.

Yesterday there were more of those, but I am having trouble finding all of them now.

Having said that, if you want to take that risk - please go ahead. The only thing better than warning someone that what they are about to do has the potential to ruin their life (and possibly basically saving their life), is if they ignore the advice and live to regret it (a lot, and for a very long time).

 

[Sven]

I have tickets to go to a comedy show this weekend. Will it be loud? I will be wearing my earplugs.

I was quoted by Bill above and that reply applies to concerts. I myself am actually going to see Dylan Moran on Sunday (and Eddie Izzard in April) and I've been to a few more this last year and music/sound hasn't been too loud at all. I've had my earplugs in when the show started and then loosened them or even removed them. Unless there's loud music with the show I doubt a comedy show will be as loud as a concert.

But, as you might understand, my shows above were just stand-ups.

 

[Ross McLauchlan]

@Sven thanks for clarifying.

Interesting, @Bill Bauer :

The only thing better...is if they ignore the advice and live to regret it (a lot, and for a very long time).

Glad you get some form of enjoyment from it.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Glad you get some form of enjoyment from it.

Like I said, my First preference is to try to save their life.

 

[Ross McLauchlan]

Followed closely by a healthy dose of schadenfreude...

Take care, Bill.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Take a decibel reader and the sound level goes over 80 dB, leave. I doubt that it will.

It will definitely surpass 80 dB. 3-4 people laughing at a dinner table will. It's also not dangerous. It's basic day to day noise. If anything bring some light earplugs. 12 dB, etc.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Followed closely by a healthy dose of schadenfreude...

No, what I am feeling is different from schadenfreude. If the person has had every opportunity to change his or her mind, has been provided with all of the information, and still decided to take a risk that ends up not working out, you can see how that is different from "the person had no idea about the possible serious consequences".

 

[Ross McLauchlan]

Bill, you are a tinnitus sufferer and you do not have "all of the information."

You might even agree that tinnitus is a very individual experience - what works for you might not work for me, and vice versa.

In this instance, by providing "all of the information" I assume you mean providing information that reinforces your own particular stance on avoidance?

I could be wrong, in which case I imagine that you've created a thread capturing all of the successful social situations people have been in?

 

[Bill Bauer]

"all of the information."

???

You talk as if I told the other person that they will Definitely get a permanent spike.

I made them aware that the risk exists. No scientific studies looked into this, so nobody knows what the actual probabilities are (and of course everyone is different when it comes to T). But many people assume that since healthy people go to those events and are ok, there is no way they will not be ok. Once they become aware that the probability that they will not be ok afterwards is not zero and not negligible (but of course the risk is still relatively low), they will have more information than before.

I could be wrong, in which case I imagine that you've created a thread capturing all of the successful social situations people have been in?

Some of us think of T as being burned alive, but for decades. This is so horrific that increasing the chance of making it louder (or decreasing the chance of it going away) is unacceptable to us. It doesn't even have to be that horrific in order for the total lifetime discomfort (summed up over a period of decades) to outweigh whatever enjoyment one might have during the couple of hours at the event.

 

[Digital Doc]

Would go with a moderately protective pair of musician earplugs, such as 18 to 20. Wear them in, and can remove them if it is quieter than expected. A comedy show is not a rock concert.

 

[Bill Bauer]

A comedy show is not a rock concert.

It sounds like it might be louder than a loud restaurant. Several people have had major problems following spending time at loud restaurants. One (of many) example is

So I went to a restaurant on Thursday that was way too loud. It wasn't too loud to begin with (with earplugs), but it got crowded and the noise ramped way up after I had ordered. The acoustics were terrible with it being one giant open room with nothing to absorb sound, and everyone seemed to be shouting over one another.

At that point I felt obligated to stay because I was with coworkers and clients. It wasn't the music either, but the roar of the crowd was loud enough that I was having troubles hearing the person talking across from me while wearing earplugs. It was horrible, and I felt like just getting up and walking out but I didn't.

I took some prednisone the day after, but it still seems to be spiking today (three days later). I have so many sounds in my head that it's hard telling what's what. Normally most of them are in the background except for one maybe two tones that I can hear almost everywhere, but now the broadband head hissing has ramped up and the new tone I developed last year has ramped up as well. The past few months I've been okay with my tinnitus and dealing with the hyperacusis, but I feel like I'm back to square one at the moment.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Here is another one, but I remember there were a lot more of them

recently I made a mistake. I went to a loud restaurant with ear plugs, which gives me spike for about 7 days, I am lucky that it comes back to baseline.

I am not going to take any chance with my hearing now for life time, even with earplugs they don't provide protection.

It's been 8 months now, will update when it gets down.

 

[Ross McLauchlan]

Bill, my point is this: the case you put forward suggests the probability is that their tinnitus will get worse. That's simply not always true.

There's a wide variety of tinnitus and people can still have good experiences in some social situations by remaining sensible. I'm one of those people - you might even be too.

I agree that tinnitus is extremely horrible, but I also feel strongly that condemning yourself to a life of solitude is just as horrible. There's a middle ground and some people wish to explore that.

You're an extremely vocal member here, while I understand your perspective, I think it's important that people understand that there are different ways to live with tinnitus.

My personal experience is that, while my life is different as a result of tinnitus, I can still engage socially. If I listened to every negative post, this wouldn't be the case.

Anyway, it's not something I'll dedicate more time to. I'm not trying to change your mind, your entitled to an opinion.

 

[Sven]

I don't understand why Bill so often has to come under attack. For anyone who's experienced a worsening of tinnitus and the anxiety that comes with it, his perpective is true. And it's also good that he puts it out there to balance all the people that keeps on saying "you'll be fine if you do this and if you do that".

Tinnitus is very individual but it definitely isn't something to take lightly because there's no going back and most likely won't be in our lifetime.

I don't act as careful as he advocates, but I am careful and more so nowadays than I used to be, for obvious reasons.

 

[Ross McLauchlan]

Hey @Sven

Likewise, I'm much more careful. It's also not an attack on Bill, it's a differing stance - probably one that aligns with what you just said, it's not about total avoidance, just being more careful.

 

[Sven]

Hey @Sven

Likewise, I'm much more careful. It's also not an attack on Bill, it's a differing stance - probably one that aligns with what you just said, it's not about total avoidance, just being more careful.

OK. But he always gets a lot of complaints.

 

[Flamingo1]

It sounds like it might be louder than a loud restaurant. Several people have had major problems following spending time at loud restaurants. One (of many) example is

Restaurants are the new bane of American society. I never imagined restaurants of all places would become so loud!! For that reason alone, I rarely go out anymore. Not only is it annoying, but destructive to patrons' and workers' hearing as well!!

 

[Digital Doc]

Restaurants are the new bane of American society. I never imagined restaurants of all places would become so loud!! For that reason alone, I rarely go out anymore. Not only is it annoying, but destructive to patrons' and workers' hearing as well!!

So true. Last time at Chili's they literally had a speaker above every other table blasting music. I could not wait to get out of there!